Door-operating mechanism



n July 9, 1929. H. FUCHS 1.720.173

DOOR OPERATING MECHANISM Filed Feb. 18, 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Patented July 9, 1929 UNITED STATES PATENT" OFFICE,

HENRY FUCHS, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOB, TO W. H. HINER, INC., 0] CHICAGO,

ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE.

DOOR-OPERATING MECHANISM Application filed February This invention relates to door operating mechanisms.

One object of the invention is to provide a simple and eflicient door operating mechanism for forcing the door when partly closed to tightly closed position, for holding the same closed and for forcing the door open to facilitate the complete opening of the same.

Another object of the invention is to provide a door operating mechanism, especially adapted for swingingly supported doors of refrigerator cars, inc uding an operating 'member reciprocably mounted on one of the doors for sliding movement in a lengthwise direction having means at the opposite ends thereof rigid therewith co-operating with keepers fixed to the door frame to force the door either open or tightly closed.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a door operating mechanism of the character described, co-operatin with keepers on the door frame wherein the operating mechanism is adapted to be lifted when forcing the doors open so as to clear the lower keeper and leave the lower edge of the door free of depending obstructions so as to clear the usual car loading platform.

Other objects of my invention will more clearly appear from the description and claims hereinafter following.

In the drawings forming a part of this specification, Figure 1 is a side elevation of a portion of a refrigerator car showing my improvements in connection therewith. Figure 2 is a vertical sectional view on an enlarged scale, partly broken away, corresponding substantially to the line 22 of Figure 1, showing the position of the parts of the mechanism when the door is tightly closed. Figure 3 is a view similar to Figure 2 showing the parts in the position they assume when the door is either in the position when partly o ened, or the position just prior to forcing t e same tightly closed. Figure 4 is a side elevational view, partly broken away, of the upper portion of the door operating mechanism illustrated in Figures 1 to 3 inclusive. Figure 5 is a horizontal sectional view corresponding substantially to the line 55 of Figure 4. Figure 6 is a view similar to Figure 4, illustrating a diflerent embodiment of the invention. And Figure? is a transverse, horizontal, sectional view corre sponding substantially to the line 77 of Figure 6.

1a, 1926. Serial No. 89,009.

ing is employed be-' tween the meeting edges of the doors themselves, the doors and door frame. The doors 11 and 12 are mounted for swinging movement about vertical axes, being supported by suitable hinges 13-13.

Referring first to the embodiment of the invention illustrated in Figures 1 to 4 inclusive, the improved door operating mechanism comprises broadly, an operating shaft or bar A; end castings BB; an operating lPeverEC; guide brackets DD; and keepers The door operatin member A isin the form of a substantial y flat bar of rectangular cross-section having the end castings B fixed to the opposite ends thereof. The bar A is preferably disposed vertically of the door 11 and adjacent the inner edge thereof.

The end castings B are of identical design, each having the inner ends 14 slotted to receive the corresponding end of the operating bar A. The end castings may be secured to the bar A in any suitable manner and as shown are fixed thereto by rivets and outwardly of the sections 14 the end castings are of substantially square cross-sectional form providing stems 15 and at the outer end 'of each stem 15 are formed laterally extending cylindrical lugs 16 thereby presenting a T-head adapted to co-operate with the corresponding keeper E. The handle member C is pivotally supported on the door 11, being mounted on a pivot pin 17 formed on a bracket 18 fixed to the door by screws, as shown, or any other suitable fastening devices. At the outerfree end, the lever is provided with the usual handhold 19. The bar A is provided with a slot 20. Intermediate the ends, the lever C is provided with a pivot pin 21 fixed rigidly thereto working in the slot 20 in the bar A which is of such a size as to provide play between the ivot pin 21 of the lever C and the bar A, t ereby permitting swinging movement of the lever during reciprocation of the bar.

The guide brackets D are two in number and are fixed to the door 11 ad'acentthe top and bottom edges thereof. e two guide brackets D are of identically the same design. Each of these brackets comprises a I is brackets. v The keepers E, which are two in number,

- plate-like section 22 and a strap member 23.

The strap member and the plate-like section of each guide bracket are secured together by "rivets or any other suitable means extending through the same and fixed-to the door. As most clearly shown in Figure 5, the plate 22 has a centrally disposed, outwardly projecting lug 124; forming a bearing surface for the inner side of the rectangular section 15 of the corresponding end casting B. The strap section 23 of the keeper D is offset centrally as shown to provide a square socket or opening adapted to receive the corresponding square end sec- .tion 15 of the end vcastingB. It will thus be seen that the rectangular sections 15 of the end castings B are mounted for vertical sliding movement in the guide brackets D, but that the end castings and consequently the bar A vare held against rotation by the brackets .dueto. the square end. sections 15 fitting the square openings in the guide are of similar design exceptas hereinafter pointed out. The keepers E are fixed to the .door frame adjacent the top and bottom edges of the door opening therein and so disposed that they willaline with the operating bar A when the door is in closed or partly closed position. Each of the keepers E is provided with a plate-like base section 24, by which it is secured to the door frame. The base plate 24 ,of the'lower keeper, as

,most' clearly shown in Figure 1, is extended sov as to. project beyond the center line of the door opening and has a pivoted latch member 25 mounted thereon, co-operating with awear p1ate26 secured to the lower inner cornerof the door 12. When the door 12 is closed,,the latch member 25 is swung into the position'shown in Figure 1 to lock the doorin that position. Each of the keepers Efis provided with an outwardlyprojectil'lg enlargement 27, which is centrally cut away as shown at 28 to accommodate the end section 15 of the corresponding end, casting B. The two sectionsof the enlargement-27 at each side of the opening 28 are slotted as indicated at 30, the slots-3O being in alinement and inclined upwardly and outwardly with usual manner, a bracket 31 is secured to the [door 12 as most clearly shown in Figure 1. .The bracket 31 is. provided with an outwardly projecting horizontally M disposed shelf 32 adapted to support the lever C operating lever arm G.

In the operation of my improved device, the door 12 will be first moved to closed position and secured by the latch 25. The

door 11 is then swung inwardly until the lug 16 of the end castings B are in substantial alinement with the openings of the slots 30. To assure alinement of the lugs 16 with the slots of the keepers, the upper keeper E is preferably provided with a horizontal top web 34,. the outer edge of which acts as an abutment coacting with the bar A. The hand lever C is then depressed, thereby pulling the operating bar A downwardly. As the operating bar A is moved downwardly, the lugs 16 will enter the slots 30 of the keepers and travel inwardly along the same. Due to the inclination of the slots 30, the door will be forced tightly closed as illustrated in Figure 2. l/Vhen the door has thus been closed, the lever C will rest on the shelf 33 of .the bracket 31 and the car seal may then be applied in the usual manner.

To open the door 11, the lever C is moved from the full line position to the dotted line position shown in Figure 1. This movement of the lever will effect upward sliding or lifting movement of the bar A thereby moving the lugs 16 alongthe slots 30jof the keepers E from the position shown in Figure 2 until the door is forced open as shownin Figure 3 and the lugs 16 are moved clear-of the keepers E and abovethe same. The door 11 may then be swung fully open, there being no danger of the lower end casting engaging the platform as the same disposed entirely clear of the lower keeper and the lower edges of the door and door opening Referring next to the embodiment of the invention illustrated in Figures 6 and 7 the construction and operation of the mechanism is substantially the same as that illustrated in Figures 1 to 4 inclusive with the exception that the operating bar hasthe T-heads at the opposite ends thereof formed integral ther with instead of being in the form of separate end castings. The operating bar is indicated by A and is of rectangular cross-section as most clearly shown in Figure .7. The operating-bar Ashas T-heads B formed integral therewith at the opposite ends thereof. The T heads B may be formed in any suitable manner, but are preferably made by upsetting and forging the ends of the bar A, the bar A originally being of sufficient length to provide the additional metal necessary to forge the laterally projecting lugs of the T- head. The lugs of the T-heads which are indicated by 16 are preferably of cylindrical shape and co-operate with slots 3080 of the keepers E in a similar manner to the lugs 16 hereinbefore described. It will be evident that inasmuch as the bar A is of greater width than the end sections 15 of the end castings B hereinbefore described, the openings 28 must be of greater width than the corresponding openings of the keepers E hereinbefore referred to. The operating bar A is slidably mounted on the door in guide members D disposed adjacent the top and bottom edges of the door. The guide members D are of substantially the same design as the guide members D hereinbefore described, differing therefrom only in that the openings which receive the guide bar A are of rectangular section to properly fit the guide bar A, instead of being square as is the case with the guide brackets D hereinbefore described.

The operation of the door operating mechanism illustrated in Figures 6 and 7 is precisely the same as the operation of the mechanism described in connection with the embodiment of the invention illustrated in Fig ures 1 to 4 inclusive.

I have herein shown and described what I now consider the preferred manner of carrying out my invention but the same is merely illustrative and I contemplate all changes and modifications that come within the scope of the claims appended hereto.

I claim:

1. In a door operating mechanism for a refrigerator car, the combination with a door frame and a hinged door; of an operating bar reciprocably mounted upon said door, said bar being of a length to provide actuating portions which project above the top and bottom edges of said door, said actuating portions and said bar being rigid from end to end, and in one position being movable to retract the lower projecting end thereof to a position within the bottom edge of said door; keeper means mounted adjacent the top and bottom edges of said door on said door frame, said keeper means being provided with cam faces, whereby reciprocation of said bar downwardly effects closing movement of said door, and upward reciprocation effects opening movement of said door, to ermit the lower end of said bar to be retracted with reference to the bottom edge of the door when the door is open and prevent interference with loading platforms and the like.

2. In a door operating mechanism of the character described, the combination with a door frame and a door; of an operating bar reciprocably mounted upon said door and provided with actuating portions, including lugs projecting substantially at right angles to said bar, and lying in a plane substantially common with the plane of said bar and substantially parallel with the plane of the face of said door, said bar being rigid from end to end and said actuating portions being rigidly connected with said bar; keeper means car ried by the door frame and having cam means located outwardly of the door frame coacting with the lugs on said bar to effect movement of said door in opening and closing directions when said bar is reciprocated; and means for reciprocating said bar.

3. As an article of manufacture, an actuating member adapted to be connected to an operating bar and comprising a casting having a slot at one end adapted for the reception of the operating bar and provided with a stem adapted for co-action with guide means, said stem having lugs thereon forming with said stem a T head.

I. As an article of manufacture, a keeper provided with a base section by which it is adapted to be secured to a door frame and having a projecting enlargement cut away at a central point to accommodate the end portion of an operating bar, and having slotted portions at opposite sides of the central cut away portion to accommodate lugs upon said operating bar and provide cam surfaces with which they engage.

5. In a door operating mechanism for a refrigerator car, the combination with a door frame and a pivoted door; of an operating bar reciprocably mounted upon said door and provided with cylindrical actuating portions 7 rigidly connected to said bar and projecting laterally therefrom, said operating bar and said actuating portions being reciprocable in a plane outwardly of the plane defined by the face of said door; keeper means mounted on the outer surface of said door frame, said keeper means being provided with opposed cam surfaces disposed entirely clear of the door frame and co-acting with the actuating portions upon said bar to effect movement of said door in opening and closing directions, when said bar is reciprocated in opposite difiections; and means for reciprocating said 6. In a door operating mechanism for a refrigerator car, the combination with a door frame and a pivoted door; of an operating bar provided with T heads, each of which is in the form of a casting having a slot for the reception of one end of said bar, said bar being rigidly connected to said T heads, each of said T heads being provided with a stem between the head of the T portion and a slotted portion; means mounted on said door and engaging said stems for reciprocably supporting said bar upon said door; a keeper on the door frame arranged adjacent each of said T heads, each of said keepers being detachably connected to the door frame and projecting outwardly therefrom, each keeper being provided with opposed cam surfaces adapted for co-operation with said T heads and being cut away at a central point to permit the required movement of said T heads,

whereby reciprocation of said bar in one direction effects opening movement of said door, andv reciprocation in the opposite direction effects closing movement of said door, reciprocation of said bar to open said door serving to retract the T head at the lower end of said bar to avoid interference With loading platforms and the like When the door is opened.

7. In a door operating mechanism, the combination With a door frame and a door pivoted along one edge; of keepers mounted on the door frame adjacent the ends of the door, each of said keepers having opposed camming surfaces inclined with respect to the outer surface of the door, said camming surfaces being disposed entirely outside of v the plane of the outer surface of the door when the latter is in fully closed position;

and means mounted on the outer face of the 20 door in alinement With said keepers, said means including, at each end of the door, a reciprocating element having an end lug projecting therefrom in a direction substantially parallel to the end edge of the door, said lugs being disposed entirely outside of the plane of the outer surface of the door, said lugs cooperating With said keepers to effect final closure of the door When operated in one direction and to initiate opening movement of the door when operated in the opposite direction.

In Witness that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto subscribed my name this 15th day of February 1926.

HENRY FUCHS. 

